Metal powders

Cobalt powder

Cobalt is a blue-black metal. It is the chemical element number 27 in the periodic table. It has the following physical properties: density - 8.9 g/cm³, melting point - 1493 °C, boiling point - 2957 °C. (more information about the description of cobalt is presented in the section Description)

Most often, cobalt is used by industry in the form of powder. The most common grade is PK-1u. The powder is produced by electrolytic method in accordance with GOST 9721-79. Cobalt is the main component of the grade PK-1u, its content must be at least 99.35%. It is also worth noting that the size of the powder particles should be less than 71 microns. At the same time, in 30% of the total mass of the batch, the particle size should not exceed 45 microns.

Cobalt powder of the grade PK-1u is widely used in various industries where powder metallurgy methods are actively used. These areas include the production of hard alloys, permanent magnets, paint products, high-speed tool steels, corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant alloys. In hard alloys, cobalt powder serves as a binding metal. The good magnetic properties of this metal have determined its use in the production of permanent magnets. Permanent magnets containing cobalt powder are resistant to vibrations, high temperatures and have a high resistance to demagnetization (cobalt is demagnetized at a temperature of more than 1121 °C). The so-called cobalt color is well known to artists. Cobalt in the form of powder is used for the production of dark blue paints. The corrosion resistance and heat resistance of cobalt, as well as its wear resistance, have determined its use as an alloying additive or the main component of steels and alloys with special properties. Very often, products are coated with cobalt spraying to improve their protective properties (see the article Cobalt. Application of wear-resistant coatings using cobalt).

Nickel powder

Nickel is a silver-white metal. It is the chemical element number 28 in the periodic table. It has the following physical properties: density - 8.9 g/cm³, melting point -1453 °C, boiling point - 2730-2915 °C. (more information about the description of nickel is presented in the section Description)

Among the various products made of nickel, powder is also widely used. The main grades are: PNK-UT1, PNK-UT2, PNK-UT3, PNK-UT4, PNK-1L5, PNK-1L6, PNK-1L7, PNK-1L8 (nickel carbonyl powder), PNE-1, PNE-2 (nickel electrolytic powder). These products are produced in accordance with GOST 9722-97. The content of nickel + cobalt in the electrolytic powder should be at least 99.5%, in the carbonyl powder - 99.7-99.9%, depending on the grade. The particles size of nickel powder of the grades PNK should be less than 20 microns, grades PNE-1 - less than 71 microns, PNE-2 - 250 microns.

Nickel is widely used in modern industry. There are many alloys, one of the main components of which is nickel (for example, nickel and copper-nickel alloys). This metal has good properties of heat resistance, thermal stability and corrosion resistance. This causes the addition of nickel as an alloying additive in various steels and alloys. The process of nickel plating is also widely used. It is applying a thin nickel layer to metal surfaces, which protects them and gives a beautiful appearance. For these purposes, nickel powder is used, which is sprayed on the surface or fused on it.

Molybdenum powder

Molybdenum is a light gray refractory metal. It is the chemical element number 42 in the periodic table. It has the following physical properties: density - 10.2 g/cm³, melting point - 2620 °C, boiling point - 4630 °C. (more information about the description of molybdenum is presented in the section Description)

Among the various products made of molybdenum, powder is also widely used. The main grade is MPCh. This product is produced in accordance with the technical conditions 48-19-316-80. The molybdenum content must be at least 99.5%. 92% of the grains of molybdenum powder MPCh must have a size of up to 5 microns.

As a rule, the powder serves as a raw material for further production of compact molybdenum. At the same time, powder metallurgy methods are used, which make it possible to obtain billets of molybdenum of various sizes. Billets, in turn, are workpieces for the production of molybdenum rods, sheets, and wire. The useful properties of this metal have determined its use as an alloying additive to various steels and alloys in order to improve their operating characteristics.

Tungsten powder

Tungsten is a gray refractory solid metal. It is the chemical element number 74 in the periodic table. It has the following physical properties: density - 19.3 g/cm3, melting point - 3422 °C, boiling point - more than 5500 °C. (more information about the description of tungsten is presented in the section Description)

Among the various products made of tungsten, powder is also widely used. The main grades are PVN (low-level tungsten powder), PVV (high-level tungsten powder), and PVT (technical tungsten powder). These products are produced in accordance with the technical conditions 48-19-72-92. The average grain diameter for the grade PVN should be 3.5-6 microns, for PVV - 0.8-1.7 microns, and for PVT - 3.5-6 microns. At the same time, no more than 40% of PVN powder grains can have a size of more than 4 microns.

As a rule, tungsten powder serves as a raw material for further production of compact tungsten (see the article “Tungsten. Properties, application, production, products). At the same time, powder metallurgy methods are used, which make it possible to obtain billets of tungsten of various sizes. Billets, in turn, are workpieces for the production of tungsten electrodes, rods, sheets, and wire. Useful properties of this metal have determined its use in the production of hard alloys, high-speed and tool steels, heat-resistant and wear-resistant alloys, welding electrodes, and electric lighting equipment. Tungsten powder is used as an alloying additive or the main component of high-speed and tool steels, as well as wear-resistant and heat-resistant alloys (for example, stellites). Tungsten carbide is the basis of hard alloys of the VK type (tungsten-cobalt). Non-consumable welding electrodes and wire used in incandescent lamps are made from tungsten powder.

Tungsten carbide

Tungsten carbide is a compound of the refractory metal tungsten (W) with carbon (C). There are two carbides in total - WC and W₂C. The main advantages of these materials are high hardness and refractoriness. WC retains increased hardness even at high temperatures.

Tungsten carbides are the basis for the production of various hard alloys. The most common grades are VK, exactly VK6 and VK8. As a rule, hard alloys are obtained by powder metallurgy methods from a mixture of refractory metal carbide with a binding metal powder. For example, chemical or mechanical mixing of tungsten carbide with cobalt powder gives a mixture of VK. In the future, the mixture is pressed and sintered to produce a hard alloy. From a mixture of VK8 or VK6, hard alloys of the same name are obtained, which contain 8% and 6% of cobalt, accordingly.